19 September, 2026 – Chattogram, Bangladesh: A house belonging to Pranati Rani Das Ray, 68, was allegedly set on fire amid a long-standing property dispute in Mirsarai, Chattogram. The incident reportedly occurred at around 2:00am on Saturday at a locality known as “Dulal’s House” in Mithachhara area of Ward No. 8 under Mirsarai Union No. 9. The house was completely destroyed in the fire.
Pranati Rani, a Hindu widow, had been living there with her three daughters for years following the death of her husband. She has now lost the home that had been her family’s only shelter.
Pranati Rani alleged that her family has been involved in a long-running property dispute with neighboring residents. She said that on September 14, she filed a written complaint with Mirsarai Police Station after alleging that trees she had planted were forcibly cut down and taken away. According to her, no police investigation or remedial action was taken at the scene during the eight days following the complaint.
Pranati Rani has been living on her late husband Amarendu Das Ray, also known as Dulal’s, homestead with her three daughters since his death in 2015. She said the disputed land is recorded in her husband’s name and that their family has been occupying and using the property for many years.
In her September 14 complaint, she named Choton Karmakar, 37, Md Sohel, Azim Uddin, and Azad Hossain, alleging that they jointly and forcibly cut down and removed trees planted on her property. According to Pranati Rani, all of the accused are neighbors from the same locality.
She alleged that despite submitting the complaint, police had not visited the site or taken any remedial action before the fire occurred.
Pranati Rani said the house was completely burned down in the fire during the early hours of Saturday. She alleged that the fire was connected to the earlier dispute and claimed that the objective was to drive her and her daughters from the property and take control of the land.
“My husband died in 2015. I have lived on his homestead with my three daughters for all these years. The property dispute has been settled several times, but they do not accept it. The court has also given a verdict. They are refusing to accept it by using force,” Pranati Rani said.
She added, “I filed a complaint with the police after the trees were cut down, but I received no remedy. Now my house has been burned down in the darkness of night. The two incidents were carried out by the same group. Their intention is to evict me and take possession of the land.”
She also said that a meeting between the two sides had been scheduled for September 19 at the initiative of Gazi Nizam Uddin, a former member secretary of the Mirsarai Upazila BNP. Pranati Rani said she attended the meeting, but the other side did not.
Choton Karmakar, one of those named in the earlier complaint, denied knowledge of the scheduled meeting and disputed the allegations against him.
“I do not know about today’s meeting. The property dispute is between Suman and Pranati Rani Das. Because of my relationship with Suman, I became involved in an effort to resolve the matter. Now one side is accusing me by making me a defendant,” he said.
Gazi Nizam Uddin said there had been a long-standing property dispute between Choton Karmakar and Pranati Rani Das and that previous efforts to resolve it had failed. He said he had proposed that both sides nominate representatives to review the relevant documents and reach a decision that both parties would agree to accept.
He said Pranati Rani attended the scheduled meeting, but Choton Karmakar did not. Regarding the fire, he said he had advised Pranati Rani to seek legal assistance.
Farida Yasmin, officer-in-charge of Mirsarai Police Station, said she had not yet received any complaint regarding the house being set on fire. Regarding the September 14 complaint about the trees, she said she could not immediately provide details because she was attending a meeting in Chattogram.
She said police would be sent to the scene promptly for an investigation and that further information would be provided after the investigation.
